Versatility the key to Makybe repeat

Danny O'Brien says he is training Vigor to peak on Caulfield Cup day but he'll be around the mark in today's Makybe Diva Stakes, a race he won last year.

Danny O'Brien is buoyant about the prospects of Vigor making it back-to-back Makybe Diva Stakes wins even though the Caulfield Cup placegetter won't be as fit as he was 12 months ago.

The O'Reilly six-year-old goes into today's Group 2 1600m feature at Flemington on Saturday second-up, as he did last year when he scored by a nose from Typhoon Tracy on a good track, pictured above.

"He's in great shape," O'Brien said.

"This time last year we were obviously all eggs in one basket. He had to win a race like that to get into the Caulfield Cup and Typhoon Tracy will end up being horse-of-the-year so it's been a pretty good form race.

"He's a couple of weeks behind where he was last year. I'm not saying he still won't be able to win.

"There's no Typhoon Tracy there tomorrow but we've got the luxury of knowing he gets runs this year and we'll hopefully have him peaking on Caulfield Cup day."

"He's been very well looked after since the spring of last year. He's only had the two runs (since) and he has a big spring if front of him."

The Flemington track was rated in the dead range yesterday but heavy rain was forecast overnight and today.

O'Brien is not concerned about the prospect of heavy going.

"He's won here (at Flemington) on a heavy track. He's just a very adaptable horse, wet, dry, and he's won from 1500 metres to 2500 metres. I'm sure he'll be right around the mark."

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